


Nothing Breaks Like a Heart

by amorsaltzman



Category: Legacies (TV 2018)
Genre: F/F, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-10
Updated: 2019-02-11
Packaged: 2019-10-07 16:27:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,089
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17369393
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amorsaltzman/pseuds/amorsaltzman
Summary: love and hate, such a fine line





	1. Chapter 1

“I hate her”

“Yea everyone knows that you do jo....”

“I’m serious Lizzie, every time I see her my skin feels like it’s on fire.”

Lizzie stops roaming her closet and turns around to her sister, “Jo, I think you need to stop talking about her.” Lizzie notices her shocked expression and continues, “I mean, just like stop giving her your attention... that’s what she wants.” Lizzie made her way to Josie’s side of the room and planted herself on the edge of her twins bed.

“I know you may think that you hate her but in case you’ve forgotten I can feel what you feel and although it’s somewhat hate it’s also love.” Lizzie continues, “she broke your heart jo, it’s okay to feel it.” Josie knew that what her sister was saying was genuine because sentimental moments were rare between them. Lizzie was right Josie did not give herself time to feel the heartbreak penelope caused, she refused to. Weeks after the breakup Josie was up and about, helping everyone she could along with avoiding the only person she loved. Josie’s head had fallen down, her eyes fixed on her fiddling fingers, “you’re right,” she sighs.

Lizzie gives a worried look her sister and gets up, “I’ll be back later, don’t wait up.”

Lizzie pokes her head back into the room through the slip between the wall and door, “...also, i lack in the ability to be wrong jo”

Josie stifles a laugh and drops herself onto her bed. Now it was just her. The entire room was silent and all Josie could hear was the rythm of her heart. Josie has always been the one to take care of other people. It didn’t matter if it put her life in danger or it didn’t benefit her at all she did it to make those around her happy. Josie Saltzman lived to help others, that was her thing. Her sister Lizzie was someone who meant quite a lot to her. The twins always had each other’s back. But the two were extremely different. Lizzie was the bold one. Josie, on the other hand, was the quite twin, the one no one really noticed until they wanted something. She realized pretty early that Lizzie would always be the center of attention and there was no use in competing with her. When Josie thought about all the people who put her first only one person came to mind. Josie snapped herself out of her day dream like state. She did not want to go back to that place. It was over between them, she needed to accept that. 

No matter how much she tried to convince herself she was over Penelope park it just wasn’t true. Her brain told her one thing and her heart told her another, she was torn between the two. She was getting tired of fighting both fights. She was bound to give into one.

——

“Penelope Park, care to show us?”

Penelope lifts her head up, “Sorry, I was uhm... not paying attention my bad”

“That is what I thought”

Penelope sat back in her chair with her arms crossed and sighed. Penelope was not a bad girl. She might be a little intimidating but she never felt the need to be disrespectful to those who were just trying to teach her. She would usually get away with not paying attention because her hair would help cover her face and make her s little less noticeable but ever since her ex-girlfriend decided to give her a hair cut she has been getting caught a lot more recently. 

Penelope was completely out of it during last period all due to the fact that she ran into Josie. Penelope had made a sly comment and Josie was not having it. The two went back and forth for 5 minutes. Penelope wasn’t complaining though. That was the first time they’ve spoken to one another in 2 weeks. Penelope missed the sound of Josie’s voice. Making comments like that was the only way to get Josie to “talk” to her.

The bell rang signifying the end of her last period. Penelope gathered up all her things and continued into the hall where everyone and their friends were talking about a party being thrown by the wolves.

“Hey peaz”

“Sup MG, why is everyone talking about a party?”

“Oh yea, apparently Rafael is throwing a party to impress some girl”

“Not surprised... are we going?”

“Hell yea, this my moment to talk to Lizzie”

Penelope rolls her eyes, “oh god, you’re still on that?”

“Of course, she hasn’t told me to back off yet so why not shoot my shot?”

“When are you going to just get over her, she doesn’t deserve you”

Penelope puts her arm around MGs neck and leads into him. MG and Penelope, the pair of friends everyone was jealous of. MG was actually the first person to ever talk to penelope during initiation. They became friends pretty quick, MG would not shut up about some girl he saw while walking in the hall and Penelope decided to include herself into the conversation by saying she too had someone catch her eye. The best friends never separated since then, MG was the only person Penelope called her best friend and really meant it.

“I’ll meet you at your room in 20? Oh and Hope is coming.”

“Hope is coming too?”

“Yea, apparently shes being made to socialize more.”

“I mean it would be nice to see her come out of her room more than 3 times every 2 years...”

MG grabs his keys from his pocket and opens his room door, “I’ll catch you in a few.”

Penelope nods and smiles to Jed in the background. When she got back to her room she immediately made her way to her closet to choose what she was going to wear. Parties thrown by the wolves were the most popular so she had to put at least some effort into how she looked. She chose black pants, a white shirt, and a leather jacket which she knew had an affect on a specific person. Penelope threw her hair into a messy bun and pulled a few strands out to frame her face. She went to the mirror to check her appearance and as soon as she did she heard a knock on the door.

“it’s open!”

“Woah pen looking good as always”

“Thanks, where’s the little old lady?”

Hope unesthusiatically rolled herself into the door frame, “I’m right here.”

“Well don’t you look great.”

“Shut up, we both know you only look good to impress a certain someone because we all-“

“Ok that’s enough,” Penelope motions her hand to close the door causing Hope to jump back into the hallway.

Penelope turns to MG, “I say we leave through the window”

“You do know I have supernatural hearing and can hear everything you’re saying... right?”

Penelope smiles and opens the door. 

“I would say that was a little bit rude but you wouldn’t care either way”

“You are not wrong”

”Can we go now? As much as I love the company of both of you I’m really just trying to party.”

Penelope raises her eyebrows and gestures to the door, “lady’s first.”

——-

Beer cans covered the floor, all types of colored lights bounced off of trees, and drunk chatter filled the air.

The Salvatore Boarding school parties consisted of everything normal high school parties had except maybe with a little extra help from the supernatural to make the party a bit more special.

This was the only time different groups intermixed with one another peacefully, everyone was there to have a good time. Well, mostly everyone. Two hours into the night Penelope had saw Rafael and Josie talking and she couldn’t help but stare at them. The girl Rafael was trying to impress was Josie. Penelope had no right to be jealous since she was the one to break things off but she couldn’t help what she felt. Every time Josie laughed Penelope would take a sip of her drink and before she knew it her mind was hazy. When she went to take another sip nothing flowed into her mouth. She confusingly looked in her cup and saw that there was nothing left. The night was coming to an end for her and she decided to end her night at one of her favorite places.

Josie never told anyone this but she felt more than just twin pain. When Josie and Penelope met Josie could literally feel Penelope. Everything Penelope felt was connecting right to Josie. She could tell when Penelope wasn’t feeling okay or when Penelope was the happiest she could ever be. Josie felt it in her heart, she felt it in her whole body. She wasn’t sure if Penelope felt it too but it was something she wish she could turn off.

Josie noticed Penelope looking at her and Rafael. She never made eye contact but she knew Penelope was staring because her feelings only became stronger as the night went. Maybe Josie was somewhat paying attention because she saw penelope walk away and she wanted to make sure she didn’t get herself into trouble. 

Josie’s eyes shifted to the place Penelope once stood and then back to Rafael deciding whether or not to go after the girl who broke her heart.

“This is a great party but I’m pretty tired so I think I’m going to head inside.”

“Uh yea of course,” Rafael stood up and put his hand out to help Josie up to her feet. She accepted the gesture and placed her hand onto his. She gave him a quick peck on the cheek, “I had a great time, thank you.” 

Josie made her way through the drunken groups of people and went off to find her ex girlfriend. 

The cliff all the way at the edge of the woods. The place Penelope brought them on their first date. The place where Penelope confessed her feelings to the love of her life. 

Josie was becoming more and more unsure as she walked deeper into the woods. She was about to turn back until she heard the sound of soft music playing. 

Penelope was sat right at the edge of the cliff. Josie wasn’t gonna lie, Penelope sitting that close to the edge gave her anxiety. 

“I know you’re there, might as well show yourself.”

Josie’s heart rate sped up, Penelope felt it. 

“What are you doing here?” 

Josie very slowly made her way toward the short haired girl, “I wanted to make sure you were ok.”

Penelope still wasn’t turned around, “It looked like you were having fun no need to worry about me.”

Josie stopped in her tracks, “No, no you don’t get to do that.”

Josie’s change in tone is what caused Penelope to finally rise to her feet and match the height of Josie. 

“Do what?”

“Be like that, you broke up with me remember?”

“I know what I did.”

Josie took a step closer, “I came out here for you,” Josie took another step closer, “Do you even care?”

Now it was Penelope’s turn.

Penelope’s usual light eyes lay dark under the midnight sky. The darkness made it hard for the Josie to see what Penelope was trying to do. Josie was trying to figure out what was she going to break this time. 

“Are you kidding me,” there was one last step to be taken to put them closer together and Penelope took the step, “Don’t ever ask me if I care about because you know the answer to that. Together or not the answer never changes.”

Josie’s face soften at the sudden use of words that just seemed to flow out of Penelope’s mouth with ease.

Josie didn’t realize how close they were in proximity. Her eyes going back and forth between her two favorite things on Penelope. Her eyes and lips.

Penelope broke her out of the daze, “Go, I don’t want you here.” 

Penelope knew that was lie but she did what she did for a reason. She promised herself Josie would always be her number one priority, that she would always put her first and that’s exactly what she was doing. Penelope turned back around to go back to where she previously was. She wouldn’t be able to control herself if she stood that close to Josie for much longer.

Josie took a few seconds to recollect herself. She looked at Penelope one last time and made her way back to the school. 

Penelope didn’t even realize she was crying until a tear landed on her hand. There was no holding back anymore. Penelope didn’t get moments to herself so she took this as the perfect time to let it all out. She was angry. She just wanted Josie to put herself first. To care for herself first.

With her heads tucked into her knees she whispered to no one, “I’m so sorry, I love you.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> literally nothing happens in this chapter, don’t we love filler chapters (also davina is around the same age as penelope and the rest of them, she has no relations with the mikaelsons!!)

Two weeks went by without any interaction between the two. There were no quick remarks or little smirks. Both girls purposely kept their distance, they even took it upon themselves to deliberately avoid each other. Josie kept replaying what Penelope said that night, the way she was acting was so different compared to how she usually acted around Josie.

It was the start of week three. Monday’s were pretty easy for most students. The day consisted of 3 classes, at most 4. Josie spent most of her time in the library on Monday’s. It was not a coincidence that Penelope was also in the library at the same time Josie was. She sat by the history of covens section and for some reason Penelope always grabbed the same book every time.

Josie looked up from her book when she heard someone practically slam their book on the table. To no surprise it was Penelope. Penelope’s shoulders scrunched up and her eyes squeezed shut. She slowly sat down and started to read. Penelope actually really enjoyed reading. When Josie and Penelope dated they would sometimes sit in the more cushiony area of the library with Josie’s long legs laying across Penelope’s lap. They would be in the library for hours, losing track of time. Nostalgia hit both of the girls hard.

Thirty minutes of reading went uninterrupted until Josies phone went off.

[MG] 3:31 pm  
Hey jo, you’ve seen Penelope? I know I shouldnt be asking but Davina is looking for her and you two always seem to run into each other.

[jo] 3:32 pm  
She’s in the library with me, I mean we are sitting a good 10 feet apart but yea she’s here. And davina davina?... like her ex-girlfriend davina?

[MG] 3:33 pm  
Lol yes. Apparently she’s back at school and wants to “reconnect” with people.

Josie rolls her eyes

[jo] 3:35 pm  
I’ll let her know.

Trying not to be overcome with jealousy Josie stuck her book in to her bag and swung the leather strap over her shoulder. She really did not want to deliver the message.

“Uhm hey”

Penelope looks up from her book and slowly closes it covering the title.

“Well hello there,” her head tilting to the side a smirk forming on her lips.

The awkward moment of silence was broken when Josie continued, a little more aggressively than she wanted to, “Your ex-girlfriend is looking for you.”

“I’m glad she found me then”

“Don’t worry, I wouldn’t waste my time”

Penelope rose to her feet standing only a few inches away from Josie, “you used to like it in how I wasted your time.”

Josie back ups feeling like the air was just sucked out of her. She decided to completely ignore Penelope’s comment trying to avoid furthering the conversation anymore.

“I’m just the messenger, go find your girlfriend”

Josie turns away her heart beating out of her chest.

——

Penelope watches as Josie scurries out of the library her ego feeling like a million bucks.

[dav] 3:45 pm  
Hey it’s davina, don’t know if the message got to you but care to meet up? (MG gave me your new number)

[pen] 3:46 pm  
Hey, would love to. When and where?

[dav] 3:47 pm  
Outside part of the cafe? I’ll buy you coffee.

[pen] 3:47 pm  
I’d never miss the opportunity to get some free coffee. Omw

[dav] 3:49 pm  
Can’t wait! 

Penelope hasn’t seen her ex-girlfriend since they broke up. They dated before Penelope layed eyes on Josie. Penelope and Davinas relationship was special, it was a first for both of them. Davina was the first girl that understood Penelope and didn’t judge her. They were a couple for a year before Penelope felt guilty that her feelings toward Davina were no longer there. It was no secret that Penelope had full on heart eyes for Josie Saltzman but Davina hoped that their love for each other was greater than a little crush. There wasn’t any sort of tension, the break up was an ordinary break up that did end up causing tears from both of the girls.

——

Davina was seated at the thin metal table with two small white cups. She was too preoccupied on her phone that she didn’t notice Penelope walking up to her. The short haired girl made herself known by grabbing the other girls side causing her to jump up.

Davina clutched her chest, “oh my god”

“Hey pretty girl how you doing?”

“Still quoting ‘Friends’ I see”

“When talking to you...always”

Penelope takes a seat across from Davina. It’s been a couple of months since the pair have seen each other in person and Penelope almost forgot how beautiful Davina is. Her hair swayed whenever the wind blew clearing the strands that covered her face. She looked good, healthy.

“So what brings you back?”

Davinas hands were grasping the cup softly hitting the small object with her fingers. Her eyes were darting everywhere and did not once land on Penelope.

“You”

Now it was Penelope feeling on edge, “Me?”

Davina nodded her head. “Trust me I tried getting over you but you lodged yourself so deep into my brain,” she takes a deep breath, “I think about you all the time, it’s kind of embarrassing.”

A smile crawled on to Penelope’s face, “I’m sorry?”

“No, no you don’t have to be but uhm... I thought we could give it another shot?”

Penelope shifts in her seat. Her chest feels like it was going to explode, this was not what she was expecting. Penelope knew getting in to a relationship with Davina wouldn’t be right for both of them. Although she would always love Davina the connection was just no longer there.

Penelope’s eyes finally made their way to Davina’s face, “Davina... I love you, you know that right?”

A defeated breathe was taken by Davina, already knowing the answer she was going to receive.

“You will always have a very special place in my heart, no matter what, “she continues, “it wouldn’t be fair for you if I said yes because you wouldn’t be getting the best out of me and you deserve the best,” Penelope reaches for Davinas hand taking it in to her own, “I’m sorry.” Penelope has always been very careful when it came to handling people’s heart, it was such a fragile thing. Nothing could break like a heart, at least that’s what Penelope thought.

Davina wipes her face with the sleeve of her sweater and sniffles. She keeps her hand linked with Penelope’s wanting to savor the last time she would ever get to be this close the girl she loved.

Breaking the silence Davina asked, “How is Josie?”

Penelope let out a light chuckle, “I wouldn’t know... we kind of broke up.”

“But you still love her don’t you?” Davina asked, a little confused.

“With all my heart. I actually broke up with her because I love her.”

Davinas confused face prompted Penelope to continue, “She’s just so selfless and I want her to take care of herself before anyone... I don’t want to be some one else she has to take care of ya know?”

Davina lets go of Penelope’s hand and sits back, “I’ll be honest with you, Josie was a lot better when you two were dating”

“Was she though?”

“Yea she actually was, I knew the Saltzman twins before you did and Josie was a lot worse”

“So what you’re telling me is I made a mistake?”

“I think you were wrong this time around pen”

“Yea sure maybe you’re right, but I would still be someone she had to put her effort into taking care of”

“Atleast she would still have someone who put her first though”

Davina had a point. Without Penelope in the equation Josie lacked someone who made her a priority. Penelope intentions were good, they were always good when it came to Josie but her mistake costed her the only person she ever cared about. Penelope’s heart become heavy. And, oh, did Josie feel that weight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> angst coming up (maybe some fluff first)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1x10 posie did not feed us well so let me do the honors  
> sorry this took a while to update, life took over

Ever since Davina reappeared at the Salvatore Boarding School Penelope and her have been spending a lot of time together leading rumors to circulate and reach the ears of almost everyone. Although the two teenagers did not share mutual feelings for one another they were still always touching each other. It was either Penelope playing with Davina’s hair or Davina lying her head on either Penelope’s lap or shoulder. They were the center of gossip and there was no doubt that Josie was aware of everything.

To be completely honest Penelope wasn’t really focused on Josie anymore, she was happy with just hanging out with Davina. Josie waited for a snarky comment or a sly smirk but there was no reaction on Penelope’s behalf. Josie thought that that was it, maybe Penelope was finally finished bothering her. Josie would see Davina and Penelope sitting together in the common area and quickly avert her eyes to the ground. She did not understand why she still felt like this toward the only person she thought would never let her down. 

“Stop looking at them would you”

Josie raised her head and looked at her twin, “what?”

“Every time you look at the two love birds over there you get jealous... and I am not down to give you another speech”

Before Josie could come up with a defensive response Rafael walks in with a few brawny boys following behind him. Getting up from her seat Josie said, “you won’t need to give me another speech, don’t worry.”

Rafael turns his head when he hears his name being called.

“Hey jo,” he says with a soft smile 

“Hi, good thing I caught you I wanted to ask you something...” 

Josie takes a gulp then continues, “would you want to go out sometime? I kind of feel bad for leaving you at the party... the reason I left wasn’t even worth it”

“It’s okay, and yea I would love that”

“Cool... ok... I’ll text you”

Rafael smiles, “I’ll see you jo”

Josie was frozen on the spot not believing she just did that. She tucks her hair behind her ears and looks at her feet smiling. Josie turns around her eyes immediately finding Penelope’s. Josie caught Penelope’s attention once again. 

Penelope was seated on couch in the middle of the room her eyes glued on the confrontation between Rafael and Josie. They both looked at each other for half a second before Josie went on her way. Davina felt the atmosphere change around Penelope and sat herself up putting her book on the table.

“What happened?”

“Hm?”

“Your body aura changed”

The short haired girl laughed, “body aura changed, really dav?”

“Oh shut up, just tell me what happened”

“Josie just asked Rafael out and she did a thing”

“a thing?”

Sighing, Penelope continues, “Josie has a tell when she likes someone, she tucks her hair behind her ear and looks down at her feet. She kind of just did it when talking to Rafael”

Davina rolls her eyes, “when are you going to get your girl back?”

“She’s finally doing something for herself. I am not going to ruin that for her”

——

The day gradually entered night and Josie and Rafael agreed to grab dinner together at the only restaurant the students were allowed to go to that was off campus. 

Josie’s room door was slightly open allowing the soft music to escape through the small crack. All different style shirts, pants, and dresses lay on the floor as well as the bed and dresser. Lizzie was out with MG so Josie was finally granted some time to herself. There wasn’t anyone over her shoulder telling what looks nice with what. A collared beige top is tucked in to a white skirt finished with nude boots. Josie was finishing by taking a minimal amount of pieces of her out to frame her face while taking the remaining portion and tying it in to a ponytail. 

There was a soft knock at the door 

“Door is open, just come in”

The door creaked opened, “Someone looks pretty.”

Josie whips her head around at the sound of the voice. 

“Uhm hi?”

Penelope stood in between the door frame attempting to keep the distance.

“Sorry if I’m interrupting I was just walking by and your room door was open thought I would come in and say hi”

Josie didn’t want to be mean but she had to keep her walls up around Penelope, “you said hi, what do you want now?”

This was the first time the two teenagers had a moment to themselves, Penelope wanted to take advantage of it. She didn’t have an ulterior motive behind her actions she honestly just wants to hear Josie’s voice. 

Penelope leans off the door frame and slowly makes her into the room.  
She scopes the area her eyes darting to the several pieces of clothing covering her room.

“You have a date...”

Josie turns her back to Penelope her eyes focused on untangling the necklaces in her hand but her mind still very conscious about the situation she’s in. Sleeping At Lasts’ Neptune covered by Rusty Clanton escapes through the speaker masking the silence that was creeping to the surface. 

Penelope stood directly behind Josie now visible in the mirror but still keeping the space between them prevalent.

The green-eyed girl took a few seconds to basically check Josie out. Her first row view was disrupted when Josie threw the the necklaces on the dresser and took a deep breathe. 

Penelope’s eyebrows furrowed, “are you okay?”

Josie looked at the mirror at Penelope’s reflection, “No, I’m not. You’re here”

Ignoring the comment Penelope sneaks her hand around Josie to reach for the jumbled up pile of necklaces and ends up untangling the exact necklace Josie was struggling to untangle herself. 

Penelope’s lips curve into a small smile her fingers toying with the crescent moon emblem she’d gotten Josie on her birthday last year. She moves her body closer to Josie wrapping her arms around the brown girls neck and clipping the two parts of the necklace together. 

Penelope leans back her eyes mesmerized at the no space between their faces. Josie’s eyes were glued to the lips hovering over her. Their foreheads relax into each other uneven breathes taken by both girls.

In a low voice Penelope says, “Have I told you you look really, really pretty”

Josie felt Penelope nuzzle her nose against hers. Josie was pinned against the dresser trapped by arms on both sides of her. Josie’s hands found their way to Penelope’s face lightly caressing her the sides of her face. 

“Can I kiss you?”

Josie nods 

Penelope’s lips purses apart and Josie meets her half way. Their lips come in to contact at a slow and steady pace both girls not knowing how far the other wanted to go. The space between them was no longer existence as Penelope allowed her lips to deepen the kiss. Josie had entangled her hands in Penelope’s hair slightly tugging on it whenever Penelope sucked on her bottom lip. Penelope reached down to grab Josie’s leg, she lifted her up so that she was now sitting on top of the dresser. Penelope moved her mouth down Josie’s neck hungrily as the seated girl exposed her neck more by titling her head back. Josie was growing impatient about being away other girls lips for so long that she aggressively guided Penelope back to her mouth. Josie took both of her hands and placed them on penelope cheeks and smiled out of the kiss. 

Out of breath Josie says, “Ok, wow”

She looked at Penelope and saw that the lipstick that was once placed on her own lips was now smeared on Penelope’s.

“You have stuff here-“ Josie said while gesturing to her own face.

The light brown haired girl used her hand to rub off the lightly layered lip stick off of her ex-girlfriends face. 

Penelope leans back and laughs, “what are you doing?”

“I’m trying to help you!” Josie replies with a smile on her face.

“Have you seen you?!”

Josie turns around, “oh, I can’t believe you’ve done this”

Josie jumps down from dresser and turns around completely so that her whole body faced the mirror. A notification from Rafael appeared on her phone and Josie quickly turned the device over hoping Penelope didn’t notice. Penelope noticed. 

“I should get going”

“No, wait, I’m not leaving”

“I don’t want to distract you and besides it isn’t fair to the person you’re about to see”

“I won’t see him if you stay”

Josie grabs Penelope’s hand, “stay, please.”

“No, go out, I don’t want to stop you from doing something for yourself“

“I am doing something for myself by asking you to stay”

“Jo-“

Josie stands face to face with the love of her life. Never in a million years would she ever think to find herself begging for Penelope to keep her company after the break up. Josie missed the feeling of her heart racing and nervousness around Penelope, she didn’t want it to go away.

Josie wrapped her arms Penelope’s waist melting into her, tucking her head into the crook of Penelope’s neck taking in the scent of her lavender shampoo. 

Josie mumbles, “Just know I still hate you”

A chuckle escapes Penelope’s lips, “I know”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> not sure if this is worth continuing tbh

**Author's Note:**

> It only gets worse from here :)


End file.
